In a year that has turned many lives upside down, keeping a favorite tradition intact helps things feel normal on at least one level. Enter: Christmas cookies. Even if making cookies isn’t a tradition, or you’re looking for a new, better recipe than you’ve used in the past, we have some yummy recipes, tips and trinkets to add seriously satisfying holiday spirit, like, today.
John Kanell of Preppy Kitchen fame says, “Making Christmas cookies together, boxing them up to give out and enjoying them creates special memories that I treasure all year round.”
Samantha Merritt of Sugar Spun Run agrees that making memories is a big part of the fun of baking Christmas cookies and adds, “I love how comfortingly ritualistic the process is while still allowing for so much creativity!”
It’s time to sink our teeth into these three classic recipes followed by the tools of the trade and adorable cookie jars too. (And if you’re not up for braving the supermarket aisles, you can always check Instacart for any last-minute ingredients from your local stores.)
Peanut butter Christmas cookie recipe
“Using a processed peanut butter is easier for this recipe. If using a natural peanut butter, make sure to stir thoroughly. Most peanut butters are salted, but if you’re using an unsalted variety, add about 3/4 teaspoon sea salt to the batter,” says Kanell about his favorite Peanut Butter Christmas Cookie recipe.
Peanut butter cookie ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
See the full instructions for making peanut butter cookies.
Christmas sugar cookie recipe
Merritt’s Easy Iced Sugar Cookies are the stuff that kids dream of (and adults too — who are we kidding?). She advises that when making these festive classics, “Your butter should be soft, but not so soft that the surface is oily” and “Chill the dough! I know, it’s hard to be patient, and it’s so tempting to skip this step, but it’s important. This allows the butter to re-solidify and keeps the cookies from spreading in the oven.”
Sugar cookie ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Sugar cookie frosting ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring optional
See the full instructions for making easy sugar cookies and icing.
Italian Christmas cookies recipe
Classic and crisp, these pretty Italian pizzelle cookies will stay fresh longer than most cookies, which makes them great for sharing during the holidays when people tend to make and have more treats than usual to nosh through.
Kanell says you don’t just have to think of these as cookies. “These also make great mini ice cream cones,” he says. “Roll them around a cone-shaped form just after coming out of the iron, then allow to set. You can make a cone out of cardboard or foil if you don’t have one hanging around.”
Italian pizzelle ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon anise seed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
See the full instructions for how to make Italian Christmas cookies.
Christmas cookie cutters
Homy Feel Round Cookie Cutter, 12-Pack ($10.99; amazon.com)
“I have dozens of cookie cutters, but my all-time favorite is this set of graduated circle cutters,” says Kanell. “Perfect for cutting cookies, but you can also use them to ‘fix’ misshapen cookies. Corral the cookies into perfect circles just after coming out of the oven using tight circular motions.”
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Threshold Stainless Steel Cookie Cutter ($1; target.com)
Decorating cookies — whether made of gingerbread, sugar cookie or anything else — with icing and candy is a classic for a reason… It’s fun! These cookie cutters have a plastic covering along the top so that it doesn’t hurt as much to cut out a lot of them in one go, and we love that they’re available in patterns like stockings, Santas, stars, ornaments and more.
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Liliao Christmas Winter Ugly Sweater Cookie Cutter ($5.99; amazon.com)
Ugly Christmas sweaters have become a tradition in and of themselves, so why not extend that into the cookie decorating festivities?
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Ann Clark Extra-Large Vintage Pickup Truck With Christmas Tree Cookie Cutter ($6.99; amazon.com)
The Christmas tree truck continues to inspire vintage cuteness with this cute stainless steel cookie cutter. “I prefer metal cookie cutters to plastic ones because the lines are always more defined, and I personally find them easier to use,” says Merritt.
Christmas cookie baking essentials
KitchenAid 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer ($259.99; target.com)
A KitchenAid stand mixer is the crown jewel of many kitchen countertops, but it’s not just pretty. “This is an all-purpose workhorse that I use every day,” shares Kanell.
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Luminarc Stackable Glass Bowls, 10-Piece Set ($34.27; amazon.com)
Kanell loves using these bowls. “Graduated glass bowls are great for baking and do not take up a lot of storage space,” he says.
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Escali Arti Glass Digital LCD Display Kitchen Scale ($25.99, originally $29.99; amazon.com)
Merritt advises, “Measure your flour properly. Many home bakers are accidentally over-measuring their flour by scooping it with their measuring cup. This packs too much flour into the cup and ultimately leaves you with dry, crumbly dough that cracks when you try to roll it. Instead, stir your flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, then level it off. Or, better yet, use a scale!”
This is the scale that we’ve used and love. Plus, it comes in so many fun colors!
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Joseph Joseph Adjustable Rolling Pin With Removable Rings ($19.99; amazon.com)
Create cookies with perfectly uniform thickness — so that they all bake evenly — by using the bands on this handy rolling pin. Merritt adds that, “If your dough seems sticky while you’re rolling it out, don’t panic. Now is the time to be more liberal with the flour! Lightly dust your counter, the dough and the rolling pin as needed.”
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Nordic Ware Half Sheet With Oven-Safe Nonstick Grid, 2-Piece Set ($30; amazon.com)
Cookie sheets with removable grid inserts that double as cooling racks are a must-have for any serious home cook or baker.
However, you should “never place cookie dough on a hot or warm cookie sheet,” warns Merritt. “The cookies will start to melt before they hit the oven, causing them to spread and lose their shape.”
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Dash Mini Pizzelle Maker ($17.99, originally $19.99; kohls.com)
Kanell shares that you should “place the batter a bit closer to the pizzelle maker’s center; when it shuts, the batter will be squeezed just to the edge.”
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Wilton Gel-Based Food Color, 12-Pack ($15.59; amazon.com)
Merritt says that she prefers using gel food color for coloring homemade sugar cookie icing.
Christmas cookie jars
’Twas Santa Cookie Jar ($69.95; williamssonoma.com)
Of course, the big man himself has to make an appearance, and this exclusive cookie jar at Williams-Sonoma shows Santa sipping his cocoa and checking his list twice — just as he should be.
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Lenox Balsam Lane Cookie Jar ($39.99, originally $100; macys.com)
If a cookie jar that’s easy to reach into — and fill — is important to you, this classy, cozy cabin from Lenox is a no-brainer.
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Mr. Christmas Nostalgic Lighted Cookie Jar ($40.99; bedbathandbeyond.com)
It might seem understated at first glance, but flip the switch on the lighted Christmas tree topper (that takes two AAA batteries) and prepare to be dazzled as much by the jar as by the cookies inside.
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Martha Stewart Collection Snowman Figural Cookie Jar ($31.93, originally $80; macys.com)
No roundup of Christmas cookie jars would be complete without a snowman in the wintry mix. This one is from the hostess with the mostess, Martha Stewart.
The Link LonkDecember 22, 2020 at 05:24AM
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